Wednesday, February 7

Squash's Swan Song

Growing up in New England, I’ve always anticipated the arrival and lamented the passing of the seasons. Having lived in Southern California for a few years now, I’ve come to realize that there are no seasons here. Oh, sure, we pretend it’s winter by donning our wooly knitted scarves, but then undermine any attempt at credibility by pairing them with flip-flops and oversized Channel sunglasses.

Now, I realize it’s February, and squash and yams had their leading roles back during Thanksgiving dinner. But, I’m sure most of you still have some around and might like a new recipe or two. If you do, then check out a simply delicious squash soup at Cookiecrumb's hilarious site I'm Mad and I Eat (01.Feb.07 post). I've also got a couple of recipes up my sleeve that will enliven these former ingenues with some seasonal citrus.

This is my recipe for squash; on my next post, I’ll share one for yams. Since roasting vegetables causes their natural sugars to caramelize into a satisfyingly sweet delight, it remains my favorite method of preparation. With the sugary, chewy dates in this dish you could practically call it dessert. Okay, even I don’t believe that. Just eat this, then eat chocolate.

To toast the almonds, pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until slightly golden and aromatic.

Bump up the heat in the oven to 375 degrees. Roast the squash face side down for 35-45 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven, and let cool. Scoop out the cooked flesh, and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, sauté shallots in butter until slightly caramelized. Add brown sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cinnamon. Add the cooked squash, and mix well by hand. (You can puree it at this point if you like, but I prefer a lumpy texture). Stir in the dates, and season well with salt and black pepper. Remove from heat. Stir in chopped almonds and fresh parsley. Garnish with more almonds and parsley before serving.

*TIP: Medjool dates are sweeter than most varieties, and have a soft, creamy texture and deep amber-brown color. I usually buy them at the farmers’ market, but Trader Joe’s and all major markets sell them. If you can’t find them, then just substitute a different variety.

wow this looks amazing!!! i am sooo in the mood for squash lately too! i just made a butternut squash soup yesterday that i'll be posting soon enough but still have a perfectly ripe acorn squash sitting on my counter. i'm making this one tonight!

Johnny Carson used to say that southern California's four seasons were flood, mud, drought, and fire. Ages ago when I lived in southern California for a few years that always struck me as darned accurate.

Hi Susan! Thanks for the comments on my site - just dropping in to check yours out! I love it! And squash has to be one of my favourite veggies, so it was a real treat to be greated with this post and recipe!

Valentina-Thank you! I am flattered by your compliments. BTW-Acorn squash tastes silimar to butternut, but it has a green skin (sometimes tinged with orange)and a yellowy-orange flesh. They're delicious--try some!

Patricia-Dates and any kind of nuts are fabulous! Thanks!

Lis-Ooh, thanks!

JB-Thanks for the recipe! Gordon Ramsay is fantastic!

Linda-Awesome! Can't wait to see your soup!

Isabilla-According to my good friend Wikipedia.com, squashes are also called pumpkins and are in the same family. I prefer squash because I think they are less watery when cooked and much more flavorful. Thanks for the visit! Ciao!

Jeff-As I sit here in my tank top and flip-flops... ;)

Julie-Thanks for the fantastic Johnny Carson quote! You're right, it is darned accurate.

Cookiecrumb-I have seen them. But the asparagus and strawberries at the farmers' market give me hope!

Toni-I hope you give the dates a try with the squash. Trust me, you won't regret it!

Sher-You're so welcome! Long live the Medjool!

Asha-Thanks so much! You simply must try Medjools. Like Sher said, they are addictive!

Gilly-Yeh! I made you feel welcome on your first visit! Thanks so much for stopping by!

Susan, this is quite similar to some chinese sweet potato dessert I'm accustomed to, but I don't use herbs & spices, we simply mix some brown sugar, honey or small crystallized sugar. Sometimes, I would add a pinch of salt, nutmeg and cinnamon for the extra flavor. Your squash recipe is very versatile, thx for sharing :)

Oh, that looks maddeningly beautiful! I think I *would* call it dessert- and love every bite. Can't wait to see the yams! The thing I like best about the changing seasons is the different seasonal produce.

Susan--Saw you jokingly coveting my cast iron skillets on Nicola's clafouti post. Trust me, they're overrated. All that seasoning [and reseasoning when they inevitably rust]. And they don't tend to play well with acidic foods and liquids.

Mmmmmm, this looks absolutely lovely! The thing is that I've had dried dates sitting around for several weeks now and can't decide what to do with them. There's also a two week old acorn squash on my counter - I hope it's still good! This recipe will be the perfect way to use it up!!